The partnership will produce a rich multimedia experience for three to six-year-olds around the world, aiming to help more than 200,000 children learn English as a foreign language across 30 different countries. The programme is currently in development and targeted for early 2019.
This collaboration is the first of its kind for OUP's ELT division, and is Nickelodeon’s first fully comprehensive ELT product. The story-based programme will use course books, readers, videos, songs, and online materials featuring flagship Nickelodeon characters, including Dora the Explorer, Team Umizoomi, and Blaze and the Monster Machines. Drawing on the OUP's methodology that is trusted by teachers globally, materials will be produced in a range of interactive formats, for use both in the classroom and at home.
An additional range of readers, available in all markets outside North America, will feature Dora plus other brands: Team Umizoomi, and Blaze and the Monster Machines.
As a leading children’s broadcaster, Nickelodeon’s characters have educated and entertained children for decades and their storytelling technique is designed to improve critical thinking abilities. Through the OUP's relationships with primary schools around the world, the Nickelodeon ELT programme will bring fun, engaging content to young learners with characters they know and love. The course will be available worldwide with an initial focus in fast-growing East Asian markets, such as China.
When speaking of the partnership, Peter Marshall, Managing Director (MD) of Oxford University Press' ELT division, commented: ‘For millions, learning English is the gateway to new opportunities worldwide. Partnering with Nickelodeon is a remarkable opportunity for us to engage with children in a new way. Drawing on positive and fun role models like Dora the Explorer will enable us to create a bespoke programme that is both effective and enjoyable for our young audience.’
Mark Kingston, Senior Vice President (SVP), International for Viacom/Nickelodeon Consumer Products, added: ‘Nickelodeon’s characters have captivated kids for decades and now they will engage and empower young students as they start their English language learning journey. The goal with our collaboration with Oxford University Press is to create a compelling ELT programme that both teachers and parents can use at school or at home.’
The global market for English language learning is growing, and currently valued at nearly $2.5bn, the announcement said. The British Council forecasts that by 2020, two billon people will be using or learning English, with students learning English as a foreign language at an ever earlier age.
More Nick: Nickelodeon Releases New 'Dora’s Worldwide Adventure' App Globally!
Original sources: OUP.com, The Bookseller.
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